New D600 DxOMark has been Out

DxO says that it sets the high bar for image sensor quality. Let's see how it is compared against the current line of the Pentax DSLRs! Don't see a K-5II and IIs? I'm afraid Pentax has not yet given a test sample to them earlier. And even though they have already done that, *miracle* for big advancement in the results is NOT expected, by considering that the II and the original I are with the

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What is the Exact Layout of the f/2.8 AF Sensor(s) in the K-5II/s?

Pentax has talked and disclosed nothing about it at all so far. So, there is no information of any. But we can guess, there are several possibilities of the layout. Btw, I guess only the central AF sensor is modified so as to save cost, especially considering that the K-5II is just a "stop gap measure", as what it is just meant to be!

Before going on, still, we should have a look on the general

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Updated Lens Roadmaps for K, Q and 645 Mounts

From Ephotozine here and here, via Photo Rumors. A high resolution K-mount roadmap can be downloaded here.

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False Rumour - Jun Hirakawa is NOT Back!

See: http://forum.pentaxfans.net/thread-130327-1-1.html (Traditional Chinese)

Via: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/199899-hirakawa-jun-back-pentax-ricoh.html

What the crop picture in the original opening post is just about the names of two inventors of something, Takayuki Ito (伊藤 孝之) and Jun Hirakawa (平川 纯), with their (same) correspondence address under their names.

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Special K-5II Exhibits at Photokina

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=42558367





Note that the weather sealings that are red dyed. In addition to the transparent unit, there is also a cut-out exhibit of a standard K-5II, too.

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IR's Interview with Pentax at Photokina

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/09/22/qa-with-pentax-usa-europe-is-full-frame-coming-and-whats-next-for-medium-fo

Almost useless, I'm afraid. But then what could those Pentax sales reps actually say and talk about? Sometimes, I really feel for them!

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K3 in 24S - Real Photo!

Well, I am not "lying", it clearly shows that it is a 24-seater K3 van, not a bus nor a train of course, as the FF train has already been missed by Pentax these days! Lol..

Credit: Forum Post @ Chinese DC Home (Google English Translation Here.)

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The Death of Online Sales of Pentax Lenses!

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/198534-how-save-around-50-pentax-lenses-us.html

This is what Adam, site master of PF, has declared recently:-

"Apparently, the Pentax pricing restrictions are for online sales only. I've confirmed this personally with B&H, and they've also told me that they are working to stop this madness, as it's virtually halting online lens sales

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100 Colours of the Q10

Via: http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2012/09/11/020/index.html (Japanese)

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LIVE: More DA560 Display Model Images

(Above: Click to Enlarge.)

German Blog reader Moritz Schwertner has visited the Pentax booth at Photokina and he has kindly emailed me some of the DA560 images for sharing with us and for a closer look of the lens in display. Thanks, Moritz! :-)

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Is K-01 the End of the "Line"? (Pentax Interview @Photokina)

See the latest interview by DPR with Pentax at Photokina:-

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7927911437/photokina-2012-interview-john-carlson-of-pentax

Quoted:-

How are you planning on developing mirrorless in the future? Or is the K-01 a one-off?

I haven't seen any future roadmaps for that type of product.

Other Q&As that might worth a look:-

Is there room for a higher-end Pentax K-mount

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K-30 DxOMark has been Out

At a total score of 79, now ranked at  25:-

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Database/Pentax/K-30

Or compare it against the K-01 and K-5, here.

In fact, all the major IQ performance aspects are more or less the same as the K-01, which is not well expected as the K-30 and K-01 share the same sensor and image processor and with the same specifications on those parts.


Read

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DC Watch Photokina Pentax Booth Report

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20120920_560918.html
(in Japanese)

As we all knew, there is nothing to be excited about and all the "new" Pentax products are indeed mediocre so that all the "live reports" at the Pentax booth by everyone are more or less the same and they are "concise" enough!

There is one new stuff there is uncommon, though, but it has no practical meaning at all for

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Photokina Pentax Trade Show Live Update

At 1001 Noisy Cameras.As usual, the "noisy guys" have compiled a very good summary, which is up to the minute and includes most of the useful information. Go read yourself, although there is nothing that is really to be excited about, for the products themselves! :-(

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New DA* Lenses' US/Online Prices

It seems that I have been quoting the PF more often recently, but FWIW:-http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/new-pentax-rebates-now-in-effect-mostly.htmlIn short, the DA*16-50 is now for $1424, the DA*50-135 is $1524, the DA*60-250 is $1899, for instance! Well, these prices are utter non-sense after all! I now know why PF seems to be angry with Pentax these days! If this trend continues, who will buy

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Pentax has Modified the Design of the SDM Used in DA*16-50 and 50-135??

See the latest quick interview by the PF with a Pentax repair technician at Photokina:-http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/jens-petersen-on-pentax-sdm-failure.htmlWhilst I am rather sceptical to what are told, even if all of them true, the following questions have quickly come to my mind:-1. Why it takes so long, i.e., for more than five years, for Pentax to cure this problem? It is worth noting

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That's All What Pentax has Shown us at Photokina! What Will You Do Next?

As a Pentaxian, What Will You Do Next?Buy the new Pentax stuff and continue to support the brand.Do nothing and wait.Keep my Pentax gear but will start to build / invest further into another system.Sell off all my Pentax gear and move to another system! pollcode.com free polls You can come back and review the Poll Results in 7 to 10 days!

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First Photokina Live Report

At the Pentax Forums:-http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/photokina-2012-in-pictures-a-tour.htmlThey followed the press tour and have reported quickly in this order: Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon and then Pentax Ricoh and finally for two shots of the Canon and Sandisk booths.The following are quoted for what are reported about Pentax:-"Within the press kit we found hardcopies of all of Pentax's recent

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Canon 6D is Now Official - One More "Cheap" FF Suddenly Arrives!

See the official specs as published at the DPR:-http://www.dpreview.com/products/canon/slrs/canon_eos6dIs that 11-point AF with central f/2.8 sensor borrowed from our Pentax flagship K-5II? ;-DBtw, if the 6D is compared to the specs of the K-5II, the weight difference is only by 10g, but don't forget the 6D is a Full Frame camera and that it has the GPS and WiFi functions built-in. Unlike the

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Sony Likely to Buy Olympus in 50 Billion Yens

See what Reuters reports:-http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/14/sony-olympus-idUSL3E8KE33C20120914They would possibly spend 50 Billion Japanese Yens, i.e., 646 Million US Dollars, to buy for a stake.Via 1001 Noisy Cameras.By the way, it seems that Sony is more than ambitious to control the whole digital camera industry. If this acquisition comes true, Sony has almost controlled most of the

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Let's Photoshop Together!

As Pentax could PS the new K-5II and K-5IIs' front faces with just an old K-5 image, Pentaxians have learnt to do the same to satisfy their FF dream!Here we go!Wow, a new Pentax digital FF with a Nikon D7000 vertical grip (MB-D11)! And then there is a super slow Pentax standard prime with a maximum speed of F4 only! Well, my hats off to the author(s) for these creations! :-D

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The Most Wanted K-5 Upgrade Path - More New Info!

During these few days I have noticed at various Pentax forums and blogs worldwide that Pentaxians are thinking of "moving on" especially for many of those existing K-5 users. Most of them are thinking about acquiring the new Nikon D600 "cheap FF" and to jump boat and should wait No Longer! >:-oNo problem! Unlike Ricoh Pentax, I am always giving my audience for what they want and interested, here

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"D600 Weights 90g More Than K-5II"

Nikon D600 is 8% (10 mm) wider and 16% (16 mm) taller than Pentax K-5 II.Nikon D600 is 13% (9.5 mm) thicker than Pentax K-5 II.Nikon D600 [850 g] weights 12% (90 grams) more than Pentax K-5 II [760 g] (*inc. batteries and memory card).Nikon D600 dimensions: 141x113x82 mm (camera body only, excluding protrusion)Pentax K-5 II dimensions: 131x97x72.5 mm (camera body only, excluding protrusion)

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"Private" Message from Adam Oest of the Pentax Forums (Pentax Full Frame News!)

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/198732-dont-lose-hope-pentax-full-frame-awaits-us.html

"Don't lose hope in Pentax - the Full-Frame awaits us!


I've been told that the products announced a couple of days ago, as well as all the products announced so far this year by Pentax, have all been part of the Hoya product roadmap for Pentax, rather than Ricoh's doing. Ricoh's

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Latest Ricoh Imaging Financial Results (Q1 of 2011 to Q1 of 2013) - RED

See:-

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=42476415

Quoted, "According to some sources Ricoh paid Hoya US $128 million for Pentax. However, according to Ricoh, it's cost was JPY 15 Billion (US $193,844,410) expressed as net sales loss with no income.

From this March 2012 Consolidated Results Statement PDF:
http://www.ricoh.com/IR/data/pre/pdf/h23q4_con.pdf#page=4"

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Ned Bunnell is (Forced) to Retire so Suddenly and Urgently!

(Picture Credit: Chasing Light)First of all, see this official press release that published a few hours ago at the Pentax Imaging webiste:-http://www.pentaximaging.com/about/press/289Other news websites have reported about this also, for example, this is from the Yahoo News:-Ned Bunnell to Retire as President of PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION; James Malcolm Assumes Responsibilities as

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Could a Company Survive with Mediocre Products and be "Supported" by Fanboys Alone?

There is no upgrade path in the Pentax K system, it is crystal clear!For any K-5 user, I don't see any compelling reason to "upgrade" to the K-5II. Frankly, the K-5II simply doesn't deserve its name for being the second generation of the original K-5 after two years (but with little and insignificant improvements)!There is simply no higher ranked and better body. There is no new serious lens

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A Dark Day for Pentax and Users

Two years have been passed since the last Photokina and the launch of the original K-5. But it seems that Pentax has never been able to get through some numbers, as if there are some kinds of devil's curses applied! >:-(1. The "flagship" DSLR model is not able to get through the model number of "5", there is no K-3 nor K-1 (an imagination of these can be found here), not even to mention!2. After

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The New Pentax Q10s and 06 Tele Zoom Lens

(Click to Enlarge)

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Pentax Spain Reveals New Product Photos at FaceBook (Shortly Removed Afterwards)

http://www.facebook.com/pentaxspain(in Spanish)(Click to Enlarge for the above Screen Capture; The page and related albums with images have now been all removed.)I admit that I have been wrong since the above is official! (Update: seems to be early released than allowed!) There is really a K-5II and then a K-5IIs (I said K-5N, K-3 and K-3S). And then there is really a completely re-badged and 90%

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Why People Still Believe in FAKE Pictures?

I don't post the originated links and endless repeated posts for all those fake pictures. But I am sure you know that what I am referring to.First of all, this is the original real source for all those photo-shopped "new K-5II" cameras. I have told that they are fake, but it seems that most people still don't believe it but believe that those fake pictures are real instead! So, I feel much

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K-5II & K-5IIs? (FAKE!)

Via Digicame Info (Japanese, from the same "leak" source as the Q10 "leak").UPDATE: FAKE! Compare the K-5 images at DPR and you will know!http://www.dpreview.com/products/pentax/slrs/pentax_k5Do It Yourself!!Hints: Compare the texture of the rubber at the same particular positions and I also spot this obvious, as below! >:-oDPR's reviewed K-5: So called K-5II/IIs: This makes the last Q10 leak's

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Pentax Q10 (Possibly FAKE!)

I must have missed something :-(, there is a Pentax Q10! Well, maybe it is just too small! :-D It will arrive in October and to be sold at 35,000 Japanese Yens (roughly equal to US$440) and have the options of Black, Silver and Red. The sensor is in the same size as the original Q, i.e., in 1/2.3", as we can see from the above.Via Digicame Info (Japanese)UPDATE: This could *also* be a HOAX! See

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What is the Actual SAFOX X Layout?

- - - | + + + | | + + + | | + + + | - - - OR:- - -- + + + -- | + + + |-- + + + - -- OR:- - + + + ---- | + + + |---- + + + - ???N.B. The newly added AF points may not be shown in the viewfinder!

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The 9 Things That Are To Be Announced (Updated!)

The New ItemCharacteristicsRH's Certainty Level1. K-30016MP old CMOS sensor used in K-01 and K-30, re-using the K-r body, i.e., penta-mirror at 0.85X and 96% coverage.Close to 100%!2. K-5N16MP new CMOS sensor technology, new image processor, APS-C of course, 100% penta-prism finder at 0.92X, articulated screen, new 21-point (9-crossed, 12 linear) SAFOX X AF system, improved continuous tracking

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Pentax/Ricoh Announcement by the Next Week (for 9 New Products)

Posted by Pentax Russia at TwitterVia Photo Rumors"Next week will be so rich on releases (9 pieces) that the Pentaxians will proudly raise their heads. Be careful of information after the weekend icon smile Nine new press releases from Pentax next week!"

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Possibly Upcoming New Cameras and Pre-Photokina Leaks: K-3, GRD5, A85, X-Pro2, 3DX, 6D..!

The great Chinese online camera-gear shopping database (somehow shared) has shown all those possibly upcoming new cameras! I've chosen the very popular Chinese gadget website of PCHome.net to show them, which has an Alexa ranking of 359 as at today! For instance, the following are sorted by brand and then sorted by the "latest":-BrandLink (Click to Show in a New Tab)What's Coming!PentaxViewK-3,

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K-01 Will be Replaced Next, but Not by Photokina

(Click to Enlarge)I've heard that the K-01 successor is in development but it is not yet ready. It should be announced later together with new lenses with reduced back focus distances, like this and this.Btw, have you ever seen the above CAD diagram before? ;-> (I do like it!~)

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Sony Sensors Used in Different Pentax Cameras (and the Future?)

Pentax Camera Model(s)Sony Sensor NumberTOTAL Pixels (MP)SizePrevious Blog ArticleUsed by Others (Examples)K-xIMX02113.05APS-CReadD90, D300K-rIMX03812.94APS-C-D300SK-5IMX071 Original16.93APS-CReadD7000K-01 & K-30IMX071 Variant16.49APS-C-NEX-C3/5NQIMX07812.751/2.3ReadCasio EX-TR100K-3IMX09624.??APS-C-D3200, A77, NEX-7Not UsedIMX09436.??135-D800Not UsedIMX02824.??135-A900Not UsedIMX???24.??135-A99

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DA560/5.6: New Type Built-in Motor, Astro-tracking, US$3800

Via Post @ Pentax ForumsLet me add in more rumoured specs (from another source):-1. Dividable type in 3 pieces;2. Simplified weather resistant design;3. Built-in lens motor (neither SDM nor DC), full-time manual override;4. To be sold at a suggested price of US$3800;5. Not a Star lens;6. Built-in astro-tracer! (Oh, really? :-o)7. Manufactured upon special ordering.

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Once Verified: Pentax K-3 is 24MP APS-C, Not FF

http://detail.zol.com.cn/ProductComp_param_300739-322486-332160-333580.html(in Chinese, Google English Translation Here)This is a prestigious Chinese camera gear site which has a good past track record in accurately disclosing many early information. They have even maintained updated full lists on Chinese merchants who accept pre-ordering of the latest but not-yet-announced bodies like Nikon D600

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